1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a stopper on a paper stack part on which discharged printing paper is stacked.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional image forming apparatus has a problem that paper on which an image has been formed is disorderly stacked when it is discharged. An image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent First Publication No. 11-334976 is proposed to solve this problem. Referring to FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus comprises an image reader 10 provided in an upper part of the apparatus, an image forming part 20 provided in a lower part of the apparatus, a paper stack part 31 formed between the image reader 10 and the image forming part 20, and a stopper 32 projecting from the paper stack part 31. Paper on which an image has been formed in the image forming part 20 is stacked on the paper stack part 31 through a fixing part 21 and an outlet 22. In a case where the paper is discharged at an excessive speed in a paper discharge direction, the paper is stopped by the stopper 32 so that the paper is orderly stacked on the paper stack part 31. Referring to FIG. 2, the stopper 32 is accommodated in an accommodating part (not shown) of the paper stack part 31 where it is hinge-coupled to a case 33 slidably mounted in the accommodating part, and is driven by a solenoid 34 and a spring 35 to rotate in a forward/backward direction.
However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, when the paper strikes the stopper 32 as a result of being discharged at an excessive speed, it is not stacked at a predetermined position on the paper stack part 31, and it may be scattered from place to place.
Further, the paper can be removed in a state where the stopper 32 is inserted in the case 33, which makes removing the paper difficult.